San José City Landmarks

Located in the urban developed area of S. Third Street the 1909, single-story wood frame Craftsman bungalow is an outstanding example of the variation that occurred during the early 1900s, Arts and Crafts Movement introducing natural materials into the architecture. The use of river stone on the front porch, chimney and foundation represent one of the finest examples of stone craftsmanship in San Jose.The house was constructed in 1909 for John Ygnacia Somavia, his wife Elizabeth and for a while their son John T. Somavia. John Y. Somavia was born in 1866 in Monterey to Ramona and Jose Gutierrez Somavia, a successful cattle rancher who emigrated from the Castile region of Spain (Catalonia).

–Excerpt from 2020 DPR form, Bonnie Bamburg, author